SOLVED sound card worth it? or a waste of cash?

[bmwbaxter]

I am going to be buying an Asus Rampage 3 Extreme and was wondering if it will be worth it to buy a PCI-E sound card. I just purchased the Tritton AXPRO headset and was wondering if the on board sound will fully utilize the headset? I did some searching and found a review that said this mobo uses the RealTek ALC 889 codec. Since this is a top of the line mobo I wasn't sure if buying a sound card would be redundant?

 

[xoke]

Unless you are a complete audiophile...or a studio engineer, I think they are a waste these days. Back in the day with single core CPUs, anything you could do to help off load some processing chores was a bonus...nowadays with 4+ cores...I say go with on-board unless you just want to spend the cash. Do they sound better, for sure, are they worth it...ehhhh? Depends on the ears. Most people, regardless of what they may think...cant tell any difference, I've been fooled myself in the past.

 

[ScottinIndy]

My motherboard has decent onboard quality, I still threw my SB Extreme music in and I think the difference is noticeable, I use my headphones alot and game quite a bit, I think the difference in gaming is probably the single biggest difference.

 

[bmwbaxter]

My motherboard has decent onboard quality, I still threw my SB Extreme music in and I think the difference is noticeable, I use my headphones alot and game quite a bit, I think the difference in gaming is probably the single biggest difference.

gaming is gonna be my main concern. music or movies I am not really concerned. I want the top of the line sounds quality. but if the onboard is just as high quality wise i don't really care.

 

[Neuromancer]

If you are using cheap analog speakers... it makes no differnce, if you are using a highend receiver and speakers with a DAC it makes no differnce.

Audio cards are for the tweeners. And EAX support which I have not seen in a game in years.

 

[jmdixon85]

I notice a big difference in quality when using a sound card rather than onboard sound when it comes to using the analog outputs. I like my music loud and every onboard sound solution seems to suffer from hiss and intererence while using a dedicated sound card sounds much better.

I have been using a digital tos-link (optical) connection for a while now (to my Dolby Digital AMP) and havn't really noticed a difference between on board or a dedicated card when using a digital connection

 

[bmwbaxter]

I notice a big difference in quality when using a sound card rather than onboard sound when it comes to using the analog outputs. I like my music loud and every onboard sound solution seems to suffer from hiss and intererence while using a dedicated sound card sounds much better.

I have been using a digital tos-link (optical) connection for a while now (to my Dolby Digital AMP) and havn't really noticed a difference between on board or a dedicated card when using a digital connection

i won't be using the analog outputs. everything is gonna be digital.

 

[Mr.Guvernment]

i doubt you would tell the diff.

my Sen HD595's with some altec lansing on my IV Forumla sounds great to me!

 

[JamesXP]

If you are using cheap analog speakers

All speakers are analog.


(well there are digital speakers but according to wikipedia, they're not sold or used whatsoever)

 

[bmwbaxter]

thanks everyone, I am going to stick with the on board sound then buy a card later if i am unhappy with the quality. If it doesn't make a difference I can always return it

 

[MadMan007]

Yeah if you're using a digital output and are ok with whatever output options the onboard has (dolby Digital, DTS, whatever...I don't keep up with home theater stuff in detail any more) there's no need for a soundcard. Soundcards are mainly for higher quality analog output these days, and I will say that it doesn't take a 'super' audiophile setup or expensive speakers/headphones to notice the difference since there are some great values these days especially in headphones, or specific features and I/O that onboard might not have.

 

[Neuromancer]

All speakers are analog.


(well there are digital speakers but according to wikipedia, they're not sold or used whatsoever)

LOL If you are that smart, I think you also know what I meant

 

[e6600]

worth it as long as you have proper headphones or speakers
proper as in not headsets or walmart speakers...

 

[KonaKona]

Soundcard? Nope, not worth it. A DAC is worth buying, but with that headset I'd stick with onboard.

 

[Aynjell]

I notice a big difference in quality when using a sound card rather than onboard sound when it comes to using the analog outputs. I like my music loud and every onboard sound solution seems to suffer from hiss and intererence while using a dedicated sound card sounds much better.

I have been using a digital tos-link (optical) connection for a while now (to my Dolby Digital AMP) and havn't really noticed a difference between on board or a dedicated card when using a digital connection

Digital should give you exactly what it should be, as the low end garbage hardware shouldn't be handling the D->A conversion. But that being said, there are still probably differences. Personally, I have the X-Fi for the software land benefits.

If you are using cheap analog speakers... it makes no differnce, if you are using a highend receiver and speakers with a DAC it makes no differnce.

Audio cards are for the tweeners. And EAX support which I have not seen in a game in years.

What in the world is a tweener? I can list of a host of differences between onboard and a good sound card, and all of them are valuable if you're the type of person who at times just wants to sit back and listen to an album.

My motherboard has decent onboard quality, I still threw my SB Extreme music in and I think the difference is noticeable, I use my headphones alot and game quite a bit, I think the difference in gaming is probably the single biggest difference.

The extreme music isn't much past an onboard sound card, to be honest. It's about as good as the usb options, but with more connectivity.

gaming is gonna be my main concern. music or movies I am not really concerned. I want the top of the line sounds quality. but if the onboard is just as high quality wise i don't really care.

Then get rid of the triton headset. It was a waste of money to start with, and if you want top of the line it's only going to hold you back.

Soundcard? Nope, not worth it. A DAC is worth buying, but with that headset I'd stick with onboard.

What you're saying is that any DAC will do? Personally I prefer an X-Fi with optical or coax outputting to a DAC that can process that signal. Are you suggesting a usb dac? (gross)

This is a blanket statement, personally the value of a sound card to a gamer still exists, and in my opinion for the music listener also.

 

[johan851]

i won't be using the analog outputs. everything is gonna be digital.

Digital is digital. If you're running a digital signal to an external DAC of some kind, then the sound card does't really matter - you're just using it as a transport.

 

[Aynjell]

Digital is digital. If you're running a digital signal to an external DAC of some kind, then the sound card does't really matter - you're just using it as a transport.

Actually it does, but that's way beyond the scope of this thread.

 

[johan851]

Actually it does, but that's way beyond the scope of this thread.

Well, I'm avoiding bit-perfect vs. not, what processes the digital before it gets spit out, sources of jitter, jitter correction, optical vs. coax vs. usb vs. what have you. For the most part, digital out is digital out unless you've managed to spend a ton on equipment.

 

[kiru]

I'm currently using the Rampage III Extreme myself and was also debating between getting a sound card or using the on-board sound. So far I've been using the on-board sound for the last week or so with Logitech X-540 (not the best speakers i know) and it has sufficed for me in sound quality so far.

 

[bmwbaxter]

I'm currently using the Rampage III Extreme myself and was also debating between getting a sound card or using the on-board sound. So far I've been using the on-board sound for the last week or so with Logitech X-540 (not the best speakers i know) and it has sufficed for me in sound quality so far.

well i am still undecided. i will just go with one if i can afford it when the time comes.